At Texarkana, Texas-based E-Z Mart convenience stores, sales of nuts and seeds increased 13% last year over 2011, said Category Manager Danna Huskey. That is right in line with the double-digit growth (10.4%) tracked for the $4.6 billion total snack nuts, seeds and corn nuts category for the latest 52 weeks ended Jan. 27, 2013,

The good news is that the National Retail Federation (NRF) recently released its 2013 economic forecast pointing to a projected 3.4% boost in retail industry sales. And the estimations are running true to form: The projected increase in retail industry sales is just shy of the 4.2% growth reported in early 2012. But the bad

For Tom Gilbert, single-digit percentage growth is continuing to push multi-product gift card kiosk sales. And the president of the Royal Performance Group division at Royal Buying Group Inc. sees more changes coming. “As point-of-sale (POS) technology becomes more prevalent, prepaid loyalty/reward initiates become more available, either as a standalone product or as an added

Cigarettes have long been a staple at U.S. convenience stores, accounting for billions in pack and carton sales and boosting the profits from the average smoker’s market basket. For 2012, total cigarette sales in convenience stores totaled more than $52 billion, down a slight 1.68%. Units sold slipped 2.05% to 8.75 billion. While sales may

HBC is making a comeback from coast to coast. The category—from shampoos and skin creams to cough drops and cold remedies—has always had its rightful place in a convenience store—providing a grab-and-go remedy for a variety of ailments. Still, the category has been stigmatized at c-stores as an offering that commands a much higher price

Even with the health and wellness trend continuing, consumers are still reaching for bags of potato chips in large numbers, which is good news for c-store retailers. Technomic, in its March Snacking Occasion Consumer Trend report noted that consumers are snacking significantly more now compared to 2010, with 48% of consumers polled saying they’re now

Candy sales have remained sweet over the past several quarters. Candy, gum and mints contribute $32 billion annually to the U.S. economy, with the convenience channel controlling 21% of the market, the National Confectioners Association (NCA) reported. “The incidence of candy and gum purchases in convenience stores was up 4% in the fourth quarter of

The sputtering economy has taken a bite out of gum and mints, a category that has seen steady declines since 2010. As of 2012, gum and mints remained a $4.3 billion business, but sales are expected to drop by 1.7% through 2017, according to Mintel, a global consumer research firm. Some industry observers, such as

It has been a wild 12 months for the roll-your-own (RYO) tobacco segment, but the good news for convenience store retailers is that legislation passed in 2012 will actually help the industry hold onto to its RYO market share. In the wake of the 2009 shift in tax rates, pipe tobacco is taxed at a

By Brian L. Milne, Energy Editor, Schneider Electric After four consecutive weeks with a decline, and 23 out of 29 days in which retail gasoline prices have fallen, higher wholesale costs could reverse the recent trend observed in March and push prices at the pump higher in early April. The Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported

Merchants Object! Launches Website so merchants who take credit card payments can voice their side. Everyone who accepts credit cards—from small store owners to neighborhood restaurants—now has a way to speak out about an unfair deal that helps big banks and the credit card companies. Merchants Object! (www.merchantsobject.com) is a new nationwide campaign to inform

Multi-tiered sponsorship contract includes specialized point of sale merchandise. Strike Ten Entertainment (STE), the bowling industry’s marketing and sponsorship division, has struck up a partnership with Miller High Life, a cornerstone of the MillerCoors portfolio, to become the “Official Beer of Bowling.” Strike Ten Entertainment and Miller High Life have inked a new two-year agreement

Thanks to an increasingly busy lifestyle, today’s c-store customers regard food prepared away from home as a necessity, and the industry’s top-quartile retailers have benefited handsomely from meeting the growing demand for fresh foods. By David Bishop, Managing Partner, Balvor LLC Convenience store retailers are battling even harder for their share of the retail foodservice

Sports drinks manufacturers are keeping pace with consumers who are seeking added benefits in their beverages. Gatorade enhanced its brand lineup—not just with new packaging—but blends that promote specific health benefits. Their efforts are paying off with increased sales. According to SymphonyIRI, sales of single-serve sports drinks in convenience stores jumped a healthy 8.85% to

Customer demand for cold beverages is heating up and few categories grew as much in 2012 as juices and teas. Sales of canned and bottled teas surged 8.52% to $1.22 billion for the 52 weeks ended Dec. 31, 2012, according to SymphonyIRI. AriZona and Lipton were the two most popular brands in convenience stores, accounting

While domestic beer brands account for the bulk of c-stores sales in alcoholic beverages, smart and aggressive convenience store operators who haven’t already done so will begin to put more mental energy and elbow grease behind building their craft beer business. Many will face the same stigma they had to overcome with food: too many

By 2030, EPA estimates that the proposed cleaner fuels and cars program will prevent up to 2,400 premature deaths. Based on extensive input from auto manufactures, refiners, and states, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed “sensible” standards for cars and gasoline that aims to significantly reduce harmful pollution, prevent thousands of premature deaths

Tesco’s struggling Fresh & Easy chain, which opened in 2007 and has failed to make a profit, appears to be weighing its exit options, the UK Telegraph reported. The chain reportedly has held talks with rivals Aldi and Trader Joe’s. Tesco Chief Executive Philip Clarke in December called for a strategic review of Fresh &

The next application deadline for the International Dairy-Deli-Bakery Association (IDDBA) Food Safety Certification Reimbursement Program is Aug. 1, 2013, for training completed May 1 – June 30. The IDDBA reimburses a portion of expenses to IDDBA-member retailer companies that certify dairy, deli, and bakery department-level managers and associates in food safety. Since the program began

Exhibition space for the NACS Show is almost completely sold out, which is unprecedented so far in advance of the event. Retailer registration and housing is now open for the NACS Show, set for Oct. 12-15 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. The NACS Show is ranked as one of the 50 largest

Group of legal-drinking-aged friends to win cross country adventure. Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson are taking on a dream internship this summer. They’re not the only ones. Miller Lite is partnering with 20th Century Fox’s summer comedy movie “The Internship,” which arrives in theaters everywhere June 7 and stars Vaughn and Wilson. Inspired by the

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